1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic analysis apparatus for performing a continuous operation for an extended period of time, and a method for controlling an analysis unit for analyzing an object to be analyzed. More particularly, the present invention relates to a technique for remotely controlling or monitoring the automatic analysis apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
For an analysis using a liquid chromatograph, for example, there is a case wherein measurements are conducted continuously for an extended period of time, or wherein a great number of samples are exchanged automatically. For an analysis apparatus that performs an automatic operation for an extended period of time, the operation is frequently, substantially performed unattended, and the person in charge is not standing by near the analysis apparatus. When an abnormality occurs during the analysis operation, or a decision by a person is required to continue the operation, the person in charge must take some action, such as interrupting or halting the apparatus or changing a parameter, whatever is appropriate under the circumstances.
To cope with this situation, in a related-art system, as described in Japanese publications JP-A-10-215494 and JP-A-10-228311, when an abnormality or a defect occurs during an analysis, the analysis can not be continued and an e-mail describing the problem is automatically created and transmitted to a previously registered destination. According to this system, a person in charge who is located at a distance from the analysis apparatus can use a locally available personal computer to read the e-mail and identify the abnormality at the analysis apparatus, and can perform an appropriate process.
In the related-art, when the person in charge located a remote location is notified of an abnormality at an analysis apparatus or of the need to enter a specific setup for the analysis apparatus, a client/server technique has been employed to perform a remote operation or to remotely control the analysis apparatus. Specifically, a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a “PC”) that controls the analysis apparatus is connected, as a server, to a network such as the Internet or the Intranet. A PC that serves as a client terminal, and is locally available to the person in charge, is connected to the same network and transmits a predetermined command to the server. As a result, the analysis apparatus can be controlled by the client terminal in the same manner as it is by the server.
However, in order to enable the remote control, the client/server system must be constructed, and the remote operation can be performed only by a client terminal (or a server) for which specific software has been provided in advance. Therefore, when the locally available PC is not such a client terminal, the person in charge must move to a location where an appropriate client terminal is installed to perform the remote operation. Thus, when the analysis operation is interrupted or halted due to the occurrence of an abnormality, the resumption of the operation can not always be performed rapidly, and either the analysis operation will be delayed, or an important change or indication of an object to be analyzed will be overlooked.